1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for the treatment and/or shaping of hair employing means for generating steam and a heating hair shaping device provided for untangling, styling, or setting hair in connection with steam.
2. Description of Related Art
Apparatuses for the steam treatment of hair are known to the prior art, such as disclosed in WO 2004/002262, in which the apparatus is a flat iron consisting of two jaws that are elastically jointed at one of their ends. According to this document, the steam generating means form a sandwich structure, which is contained in one of the jaws. More particularly, one jaw has a tank for the treatment liquid, which impregnates a lock of hair placed in contact with the heating element of the jaw for vaporizing said liquid, which then passes through openings provided for this purpose in the treatment surface designed to contact the hair. This apparatus has its limits when separating the steam treatment from the heat treatment is desired, as the hair is subjected to contact with the hot treatment surface during the generation of steam. Furthermore, the structure of such a jaw is complex and not only requires a compact dimensioning of its components, but above all good insulation of its electric components due to the arrangement of the steam generation means in close proximity to the electric heating elements.
The object of the present invention is to remedy, at least partially, these disadvantages and to propose a hair treatment apparatus capable of rapidly moisturizing the treated hair in a controlled, effective, and uniform manner, while being able to separate the moisturization from a possible supplemental supply of heat and/or mechanical tensioning and/or chemicals.
Another object of the invention is an apparatus for the steam treatment of hair capable of being used effectively in a plurality of hair shaping procedures, wherein said apparatus is designed for the homogeneous dispensing of steam to the hair, has a simplified structure, and is safe to operate.
Another object of the invention is an apparatus for the steam treatment of hair which is reliable in operation, which is designed to avoid condensation, and which can be manufactured easily and economically.